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| South Korea's national football team manager Paulo Bento, center, speaks to his players during a training session at the Paju Football Center in Gyeonggi Province, Nov. 3. / Yonhap |
By John Duerden
The worst possible outcome for South Korea ahead of the World Cup was always going to be a serious injury to star player and captain Son Heung-min, which would instantly rule him out of the tournament. This happened in heartbreaking fashion to Lee Dong-guk two months before the 2006 edition and Kwon Chang-hoon a month ahead of 2018. At least Son is still in with a chance of playing at the highest level for the third time.
The second-worst outcome was an injury that would leave Son's participation in doubt until the last moment. There is going to be non-stop debate for the next two or three weeks and it is going to get quite tiresome.
Now it is just beginning but Korean fans are already becoming experts on facial fractures. As all now surely know, the 30-year-old forward suffered a fracture around his left eye after a collision when playing for Tottenham Hotspur against Marseille in the UEFA Champions League last Tuesday.
The operation seems to have gone well. Spurs boss Antonio Conte sounded a positive note on Sunday. "I hope for him he will recover very well and play in the World Cup," said the Italian. "I am confident, confident that he can come back quickly and play the World Cup for South Korea."
The KFA will have to wait and see. "We've been informed by Tottenham that Son Heung-min had completed a successful procedure," an official with the Korea Football Association said. "But since the surgery just took place, it's too early at this point to discuss his status for the World Cup. The national team's medical staff has remained in contact with Tottenham regarding Son's injury."
That means speculation is already intense. Will he be fit for the opening Group G game against Uruguay on Nov. 24? Or perhaps he will line up to face Ghana four days later or the final group game against Portugal on Dec. 2? It has been suggested that even if the Spurs star can't play any games at all then it is worth taking him along, just for his experience and stature which could help the other players. Compared to the usual 23, coaches can take 26 players in the roster for Qatar.
If this was a normal World Cup, there would be a month between the last game of the domestic league seasons and the start of the tournament but with Qatar taking place in the middle of the European season, there is little time left.
There are positive examples for Son to follow. Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne suffered fractures to his left eye socket and his nose while playing in the UEFA Champions League final in May 2021. Just three weeks later, and after surgery, he was playing for Belgium in the European Championships. There have been articles already talking about Son healing quickly from past injuries and he will need to do the same this time.
The Taeguk Warriors, who don't ply their trade in Europe, are already training in Paju, north of Seoul. They will take on Iceland in a final warm-up on Nov. 11. The next day, coach Paulo Bento will name his roster for Qatar. And two days after that, the 26 men will fly to the Middle East for the World Cup. All hope that a fit and healthy Son Heung-min will be there too.
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